The hosts Egypt booked a semi-final date with Senegal in the African Cup of Nations after a relatively easy 4-1 win over DR Congo.

Hossam Hassan scored Egypt's second against the DR Congo

Ahmed Hassan, who knocked in two set-pieces, the veteran Hosam Hassan and Emad Moteab netted Egypt's goals, with the DR Congo goal coming Egypt defender Mohamed El Saka put the ball into his own net for an own goal.

Claude LeRoy's DR Congo were one of the more attractive sides in the competition, and will be happy with the performance overall despite being knocked out in Friday's quarter-final.

After only 15 seconds the Congo captain Lomana LuaLua had the game's first shot, a curling effort that did not miss the Egypt goal by much.

Mohamed Barakat, the 2005 African footballer of the year, replied with Egypt's first attempt, to the delight of the crowd of more than 70,000.

The next to threaten was the 39-year-old Hossam Hassan, the Egypt captain in the absence of the injured Mido, but he too did not worry the Congolese keeper Pascal Kalemba.

The Egyptians were shading the possession, but were finding it difficult to break down Congo's 4-1-4-1 formation.

The Congolese were dangerous on the break too, and Biscotte Mbala should have opened the scoring, but volleyed over from just four yards.